Here stands a conduit containing a veritable mishmash of varied topics and thoughts dedicated to the raw musings that somehow manage to pop into the heads of two Random Plebeians in American society...One's abroad. One's not. Both try to avoid getting angry and cynical.

28 November 2012

Concerning the Sexual and Marital Markets -- Part V (Second Piece)

[Due to the sheer length of this Part, it is being posted in smaller pieces for the sake of readability. Here is the second piece.]

Sub-Part A: De Minimis modelling

Of the five classes, this one is probably the least-controversial, and least crippling in terms of MMV. The basic premise behind this class is that the model involved is a true “amateur” and isn’t doing it to promote any sort of career in the modelling or porn industries—in short, as I’ve defined above, one can think of the girl who shoots a few nudies of herself for an art project for school or a woman who helps out the local university by posing nude for the art students. This can also include leaked private photos that were never intended for public consumption and your garden-variety “beach” or “party” pics that often make its way to social media sites like Facebook and dating sites like OkCupid or Plenty of Fish…

In turn, the basic premises of why this has relatively low effect on MMV is precisely because such depictions are ostensibly either made without any significant sexual intent (such as instead being for a grade), was done as a “one-off” deal for her boyfriend, or was otherwise done believing in good faith that the depictions would remain private. In short, there was no obvious intention for the model to publicly “profit” from her being depicted naked or partially unclothed.

Depending on the woman’s body type and the relative state of care she takes with her body, such depictions, even on a de minimis level may raise her relative SMV by as much as one full point. If done conservatively and with an obviously artistic and tasteful eye, she could then conceivably parlay the experience into raising her relative status with respect to men.

Consequently, I tend to suspect that most guys would not raise major issues with a woman who limited her modelling to these de minimis instances and sought the advice and consent of her partner. Further, it’s also reasonable to think that most guys probably know at least a couple (or a few) women who’ve done this kind of modelling.

Therefore, and notwithstanding any other factors, most of the models in this category can generally be regarded in the same manner as if she didn’t model at all, or as if she strictly limits her public portfolios to remaining fully clothed.

Sub-Part B: Lingerie & Swimsuit modelling

Next on the list is where we start having professional models pose with some degree of sexual intent. It’s a well-known fact that sex sells, and that theme is ubiquitous in mainstream advertising and marketing. Why? In our culture, it’s been shown to work so often one can say it’s more or less a staple in the advertising and marketing industries. After all, who doesn’t want to be associated with having sex appeal?

Because this is still quite common, the effect on a woman’s MMV is greater than mere de minimis modelling, but still less than if she takes off more of her clothes. This of course naturally requires an assumption that she has only and continues to strictly limit her public portfolio shoots to just underwear or swimsuits, and that one can trust the given woman and take her statement at face value.

What this means is that a lingerie model has a little more work in the trust department to ensure her modelling doesn’t effectively erode her MMV to prospective partners. If she cannot do this, she clearly runs the risk of having more men seeing her more stereotypically as a “dumb bimbo” and less of a quality partner for an LTR.

Surprisingly, the effects of SMV aren’t as pronounced as many think, particularly because most women who do pose in their underwear or swimsuits are of above-average or stellar physical attractiveness anyway and its commonality. Moreover, most such models end up wearing at least as much as what one would typically find on similarly aged women on a beach or public swimming area.

Nevertheless though, being a lingerie/swimsuit model may still make a woman who would otherwise rate, say, a 7 on physical attractiveness go to an 8 or an 8.5 in the eyes of many men.

And as most men tend to consider SMV as part of their decisions regarding long-term plans, this may mean that a lingerie model might “get her foot in the door” with a higher-status man (meaning a man with higher than average SMV and MMV), but it’s not going to be enough to sustain a relationship by itself. For that, she will obviously need to regularly show that what she offers isn’t just her body in a bikini or lingerie set; but rather that the lingerie shoots are an addition that augments her femininity and pleasant demeanours.